Milwaukee Bucks registered a 99-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in overtime in a very close game Friday night.
For the Bucks, Monta Ellis was the top scorer with 27 points, five assists and seven rebounds. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute added 20 points and chipped in with six rebounds and Larry Sanders finished with 17 points, 20 rebounds and two steals to help the Bucks win the final game between the two teams in the regular season.
"I just love playing against KG. He's one of the guys I liked watching growing up," said Sanders, when asked on the reason behind his outstanding performances against the Celtics.
Paul Pierce had a double-double for the Celtics, scoring 35 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while Jeff Green scored 14 points and had four steals. Green made four out of nine attempts from the floor.
Boston started off well in the game to take an eight-point lead in the first quarter by outscoring the Bucks 25-17, but they could not keep the momentum going and were outscored by Milwaukee 26-21 in the second quarter.
The Bucks were trailing by three points in the first half. Boston extended their lead further by scoring 24 points against the Bucks' 19 in the third quarter. When the Bucks entered the fourth quarter they were trailing by eight points.
However, Milwaukee cut the lead and even went ahead, with Boston needing a three-pointer with 2.5 remaining in the game from Pierce to extend the game to OT. Pierce had an opportunity to hit another 3-pointer in the final seconds of OT, but Sanders brilliantly blocked the shot.
"I knew if he got it off he had a pretty good shot at making it," Sanders said. "It probably would have been bottom."
Pierce shot very well in the game and made 13 out of 23 attempts from the field.
"He's the only one that really had it going," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "I always jokingly -- and it's the truth - say, 'It's a make-miss league' and tonight was evidence of that."
"I think right now, it's this point in the season where I'm in a good groove," the Associated Press quoted Pierce as saying. "I'm feeling good about my shot. I'm feeling good about my pace of the game. I'm just trying to do what I can to help this ball club win."
With the help of Ellis' two baskets in two minutes, the Bucks led 94-90 with about one minute remaining in OT.
"The fact that we showed some resolve was a good sign for us," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said.
Ellis scored five points to lead the Bucks past Boston 11-6 in OT and with it take the game.
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